Apparatus for facing building blocks



March 11, 1952 w. A. WARNER APPARATUS FOR FACING BUILDING BLOCKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25, 1950 G. MN MS \N WZIEQEN A. WQQNEE,

INVEN TOR.

March 1952 w. A. WARNER 588,595

APPARATUS FOR FACING BUILDING BLOCKS Filed Sept. 23, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 -u nwmuum. H Pa i wummu 104 104 107 1 104 g 04 05101 m J04 .107 .104

I II I J?! L 5:5 JHIHIIHHU 4 *2: w 7/ afi 9 95 92 MQQEN A. MQNEQ, I INVENTOR.

QQTTQQNEY.

March 11, 1952 WARNER 2,588,595

APPARATUS FOR FACING BUILDING BLOCKS Filed Sept. 23, 1950 3 Sheets-$heet 3 453 52 A7- Toe/vs Y.

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 APPARATUS FOR- FACING BUILDING BLOCKS Warren A. Warner, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Art-Block Development Co., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 23, 1950, Serial No. 186,413

11 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved apparatus for treating selected surface areas ofbuilding blocks. In particular, this invention relates to an apparatus for continuously applying a coating of cementitious composition to a plurality of continuously advancing buildingblocks for waterproofing and permanently coloring-a surface of eachblock. I

When building blocks, which are generally made of a hydraulic cement composition inindividual molds, are removed therefrom, their surfaces are rough andunattractive. Such a concretebuilding block is usually very porous and readily absorbs water. Interior surfaces of a cement block wall, such as a foundation wall, may

often become stained and unsightly because of Various seepage of moisture therethrough. waterproofing compounds and compositions applied to such interior surfaces are not entirely satisfactory because the moisture tends to loosen the bond of the waterproofing material to the surface of the concrete'block to eventually cause shedding and peeling of the waterproofing material; l Theroughness of exposed :surfaces of wall structures formed from concrete blocks readily accumulates dirt and dust and soon becomes disv coloredand unattractive. To obviate this disadvantage, it has been suggested that stucco or paint .be applied to thesurfaces of walls made of suchzblocksb Stucco and paint is not entirely satisfactory because after a period of time the stucco may chip or peel, and paint applied to sur-..

faces of the concrete blocks may unevenly fade and assume a mottled appearance. Furthermore application of waterproofing compounds, stucco or paint to erected walls made of concrete blocks must be performed every three or four years and is difficult because adequate preparation of the surfaces of the blocks for receiving these materials is hard to attain and as a result a uniform tenacious bond is not secured between the blocks and the applied material.

of a plurality of blocks arranged in one or more and parallel aligned rows in rapid, economical effective manner.

The primary object of this invention is to de-i sign and provide an improved apparatus for continuous application of a smooth surfaced, imper vious, dense, uniform coat or facing of cementitious composition to a selected surface area'of a plurality of continuously advancing building blocks whereby a weather resistant and Waterproof surface is afforded. I

An object of this invention is to provide such an apparatus for applying a coating to a selected surface area of a building block wherein the blocks are adequately and uniformly prepared to receive such coating so that a firm secure bond,

will be provided between the applied coating and the surface of the block.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for applying a coating of cementitious material to selected surfaces of a plurality of building blocks wherein means are provided for maintaining a plurality of rowsof blocks in alignment and each block in tight side to side and end to end contact with adjacent blocks. A further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus as above described having readily adjustable means for handling building blocks of diflerent size, both in width and in depth. A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus as above described, wherein' means are provided for spreading or applying. a cementitious coating of uniform thickness and smooth exterior surface. Another object of this invention is to provide a novel spreading device for such an apparatus wherein the spreading device is readily maintained in proper alignment and in selected rela-. tion to continuously advancing building blocks. This invention also contemplates means for providing a stippled surface upon building blocks which have been provided with smooth surfaced coating by the above described apparatus.

Generally speaking, this invention contemplates an apparatus for applying a thin, uniform coat of cementitious composition in the form of a fluid suspension or slurry to a selected surface area of a plurality of building blocks arranged in parallel rows. The building blocks are advanced in a horizontal path of travel by separately driven rear and front conveyor means', the rear conveyor means being driven at a greaterrate of speed than the front conveyor means so as to maintain the building blocksin tight endto-end contact during their advancement. As the blocks advance, means are provided for washing and wetting surface areas to which the coating is to be applied for cleaning said areas and for moistening said surfaces to a sufficient depth so as to provide a firm bond when the coating is deposited thereon. Before the coating is applied, the rows of blocks are guided and held in tight side-to-side contact to prevent penetration of the coating between the blocks in said rows. A spreading device is adjustably and selectively mounted above the advancing blocks so as to deposit and smooth out to uniform thickness an application of the coating material. The spreading device is provided with means for preventing flow of the coating material along outer side surfaces of blocks in the outer rows. Immediately after the coating has been applied and before the coating has had sufiicient time to set, the blocks are manually separated each from the other and edges of the coating trimmed before the blocks are stored for curing. The invention also contemplates a device for stippling the surface of the" coating deposited on a block.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description of the drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general side view of an apparatus embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view taken from a horizontal plane indicated by the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line IIIIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line IV-IV of Fig.2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a pair of buildin'gblocks having a coating applied to one surface thereof by the apparatus of this invention.

Fig. '6 is a vertical sectional'view taken from the plane indicated by the line VIVI of Fig. 1 showing an end view of a spreader device employed in the apparatus embodying this invention;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the spreader device shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view taken in a vertical longitudinal plane indicated by the line VIII- VIII'of Fig. 6.

Fig.9 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the spreader device shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view takenin the line indicated by line X-X of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the front end of the spreader device shown in Fig. '7.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the horizontal plane indicated by line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the front end of the spreader shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the gate provided in the front end of the spreader device.

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary side view of a stippling device shown at the front end of the machine in Fig. 1.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the s'tippling device shown in Fig. '16 and taken in vertical transverse planes indicated by line XVII-XVII of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken in a plane indicated by line XVIII- XVIII in Fig. 17

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, an apparatus embodying this invention is shown therein and comprises generally a supporting structure generally indicated at 20, a conveyor means including a rear driven conveyor 2|; an intermediate idle conveyor 22, and a front driven conveyor 23. A spreading device, generally indicated at 44, is carried by the supporting structure 20 over a rear portion of the front conveyor 23, said spreading device being adapted to receive a slurry of cementitious composition from a slurry mixing means generally indicated at 25 carried by the supporting structure 20 above spreader 24. Forwardly of spreader 24 may be provided a stippling device indicated in its entirety at 26. The apparatus is so arranged that building blocks may be manually placed on rear conveyor 2| and progressively advanced in aligned rows over the intermediate conveyor 22 and the front conveyor 23.

The rear conveyor 2| comprises a conveyor frame 2'! including a pair of horizontal, spaced, parallel, outwardly directed channel members 28, said channel members being connected intermediate their top and bottom faces by a horizontal transverse rigid bed 29. The bed 29 provides a support for the upper lay of an endless flexible belt 30. The belt 30 is supported at opposite ends by end rollers 3| and 32, said roller 32 being driven by a motor 33 through a suitable drive diagrammatically indicated at 34. The lower lay of belt 30 may be suitably supported upon a pair of spaced rollers 35 journalled in depending brackets 36 suitably secured to the channels 28.

The intermediate idle conveyor 22 is positioned in alignment with conveyor-2| and may comprise a plurality of spaced transverse idle rollers 31 journaled in spaced longitudinal members 38 aligned with channels 28. The top edges of rollers 31 lie in substantially the same horizontal plane as the top lay of the endless belt 30 and are likewise carried intermediate the top and bottom edges of members 3;: whereby an upper longitudinally extending edge margin of one member 38 may provide a guiding surface 38a for the lower portion of building blocks advanced along conveyor 22.

The intermediate conveyor 22 is thus formed so as to provide a conveyor portion wherein building blocks may be suitably washed, cleaned andmoistened by means of water spray ejected from a plurality of longitudinally spaced nozzles 39 carried above conveyor 22. The nozzles 39 are connected in well-known manner to a longitudinally extending pipe 40 supported at one end by an upstanding frame member 4| and suitably connected at its other end (not shown) to a pipe connected -to a water source. A valve (not shown) maybe provided for opening and closing the supjacent member 38 and the aligned member of conveyor 23 for lateral adjustment. Pivotally connected to bar 43 as at 41 is one end of a horizontal diagonal adjustable guide member 48, said member 48 being provided at its opposite end with a downwardly and inwardly turned flange 49 for cooperable slidable engagement with the top flange of member 38 for positioning guide member 48, depending upon the extent to which guide bar 43 is inwardly or outwardly positioned.

The guide member 48 serves to urge building blocks diagonally toward the fixed guiding sur face 38a provided on the opposed member 38. The bar 43 is positioned depending upon the width of building blocks to be surfaced and the number of rows of aligned building blocks to be simultaneously treated so as to maintain the rows of aligned blocks in side-to-side contact along their lower portions.

The conveyor 23 comprises a conveyor frame 58 also including a fixed horizontal bed 5| 'extending between side members of the conveyor for supporting the upper lay of a flexible endless belt 52 in the same horizontal plane as that of the upper lay of endless belt-38 of conveyor 2|, said bed 5! extending the entire length of conveyor 23 to provide a, firm support therealong. The belt 5! is supported by end rolls 53 and 54, said end roll 54 being suitably connected by well-known drive means diagrammatically indicated at 55 to a motor 56. The lower lay of the belt is supported by a lower roller 51 adjacent end roll 54 and diagonally spaced rollers 58 and 59 adjacent end roll 53. The lower lay passes over roller 58 and beneath roller 59 which -may be mounted for vertical adjustment for increasing or decreasing tension in the endless belt as desired. The lower lay of belt 5| also provides driving means for stippler device 26 in a manner to be described hereinafter.

The bed 51 includes a longitudinally extending fixed side guide member 60 provided with an inner guide surface 6| in alignment with guide surface 381:. formed on the aligned member 38 thereby providing throughout the length of conveyors 2|, 22 and 23 a fixed guide surface means along which one side of an'outer row of aligned blocks may slidably engage while advancing for maintaining proper alignment. The guide bar 43 also extends in parallel relation to member 60 for holding the blocks in side-to-side contact for approximately the length of conveyor 23. If desired, the guide surface BI and guide face 42 may be composed of edges of rotatable elements such as wheels or rollers for reducing friction.

The cementitious composition contemplated by this invention for providing a dense impervous surface or coating for concrete blocks may com-- prise in fluid suspension or slurry a neat Portland cement mixture including a selected mineral oxide for providing a desired color. This cementitious composition may be suitably prepared in carefully controlled batches by the mixing means indicated at 25 which may comprise a pair of mixing tanks 63 supplied by water from a tank 64, said tank 64 having suitable gauge means to accurately indicate the amount of water discharged into each tank in order to provide a selected mixture. Each tank 63 is provided with interior agitator means such as paddles or blades (not shown), which may be driven by a motor 65 through suitable drive means 66. Each mixing tank is provided with a valved outlet 61 of well-known form arranged to discharge into a chute .68 or .other. suitable slurry-conducting means for conveying slurry: to the forward portion of the spreading de-.'

member being provided with spaced upstandingcolumns 13 interconnected at their top portions and providing openings of generally square shape for loosely receiving thebeam 12. member 10 is positioned virtually above the fixed lower guide 68 and is held against lateral movement at 14 by any suitable means such as removable stops on'beam 12 on opposite sides of.

columns '13, said stops permitting limited swing ing motion of member 18. The member H is mounted for lateral movement along. beam '12 to vary the spacing of members 10 and H as later described.

A guide plate i5 is carried on each' end of beam T2, each plate 15 having vertical grooves 35a in side edges thereof slidably cooperable with vertical inner edge margins of a pair of spaced upstanding standards 16. Each pair of standards 16 are interconnected by top and bottom members 1'! and 18 and the pairs on ,oppo site sides of conveyor 23 may be interconnected.

by atop transverse member 19.

Means for vertically adjusting spreader 24 is provided by a pair, of vertical threaded rods 88" extending downwardly betweenmembers I6, each; rod having threaded connection with an exten-- sion of beam T2 as at 8|. The rods may be suitably journaled adjacent the top of members: Rods 80 are arranged to be,

16 by bearings 82. turned in unison by means of a transverse endless chain 83 engaging sprockets 84 carried on the top end of each rod 80, one of said rods 80-- being provided with a crank handle 84a.".When

handle 84a is turned beam "is raised or lowered as desired to position the spreader 24 in.

selected vertical positionwith respect to building blocks to be treated.

Means for laterally adjusting spreading device.

24 in relation to the number of rows of blocks to be treated comprises. a pair of horizontal transverse spaced shafts 85 and 86 journaled in member 10 and provide threaded engagement with member H. beyond member II and is provided adjacent the end of said extension with sprockets which are connected by a longitudinally extending chain 81. A crank handle 88 may be provided on shaft 85'whereby turning of said handle 88 will cause member 1! to move laterally inwardly or outwardly along the threaded connection with shafts 85 and 86 and in parallel spaced relation to the member 10.

Means for holding the upper portions of aligned rows'of blocks in side-to-side contact while per mitting yieldable limited floating movement of spreader 24 on saidblocks are carried by each member 10 and H. Member 10 is provided with a plurality of spaced anti-friction means including spaced wheels 89 mounted for rotation.

about a vertical axis and carried below the lower flange of channel member 18. The inner periphe The spreading device 24 comprises.

Each member 10 and The Each shaft 85 and 86 extends eral margin of each wheel extends inwardly of the :plane of the web of channel member I for rolling contact with the upper side margin of adjacent blocks when positioned against the fixed guide surface 60.

The member II is provided with a plurality of spaced anti-friction means including springbiased wheels 90 carried below the lower flange of channel member II and in the same horizontal plane as wheels 89. Each wheel 90 is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and is supported at one end of a longitudinaly extending arm 9| pivotally connected at its opposite end at 92 to member II. Member II is provided with an outwardly and downwardly extending bracket 83 provided with a port 94 for receiving a bolt 85 threadedly connected at 96 to arm 9i intermediate its ends. The bolt is provided with an annular shoulder 9! affording a seat for one end of a coil spring 88, the other end of said spring being seated against the inner surface of the bracket 83. The spring 98 biases said arm and wheel 80 carried thereby inwardly for yieldable pressure contact against upper side margins of an adjacent row of blocks.

The spreading device 24 is adapted to be supported for yieldable limited vertical motion on outer top edge portions of outerrows of blocks by means of a plurality of spaced rotatable supporting anti-friction assemblies I00 carried by Each end of beam transverse to spreader means 24, the lower peripheral portion of said wheel extending below the bottom edge of the associated members I0 and II.

Each end of equalizer beam IOI is spring-biased downwardly by means of coil spring I05, the lower end of each spring I05 being positioned by an upstanding boss I06 carried by beam IOI be-' tween pivotal connection I02 and an end of the beam. Each member I0 and II is provided with spaced horizontally inwardly extending spring caps I01, each cap I01 being provided with a depending boss I08 for positioning the upper end of a spring I05. The assemblies I00 thus permit the spreader 24. to normally maintain parallel relation to the top surface of advancing blocks to be coated even though the top surfaces may be slightly irregular in vertical dimension.

The front end of spreader 24 carries side panels I24 each secured as by welding to edges of flanges of the respective members I0 and II. Each panel I24 includes a portion I extending below members I0 and II and projecting forwardly thereof.

Between panels I24 is provided an enclosure IIO for receiving and holding a supply of slurry of cementitious composition continuously deposited therein by the chute 68 when the apparatus is in operation. Enclosure I I 0 includes side walls II I and H2 formed by webs of respective members I0 and II. A rear wall II3 extends transversely between side walls III and H2, said rear wall extending through aligned vertical slots I I4 and I I4a in the web of member I0 and panel I24 respectively and secured to the panel in any suitabe manner as by welding. The rear wall H3 likewise-extends through-aligned vertical slots 5 "and ;I I5a provided respectively in the web of-member II and associated panel I24 and iprojects therebeyond. The rear wall H3 is slidable within slots H5 and 5:1 for permitting lateral movement of member II by the lateral adjusting means heretofore described. v

At the forward edge of each member I0 and II ;is provided a verticaly adjustable transverse gate-H6 ;-having-a-b0tto m beveled edge Ilia, said gate being held in vertical position by a forwardly and downwardly extending pair of brackets III overlying upper outer marginal portions of gate II6 while affording limited vertical movement thereof. The gate I I6 projects slightly outwardly beyond member I0, said projection being provided with a vertical open-ended slot II8 for receiving a securing bolt and nut assembly II 9 which engages an angle bracket I20 secured to the associated panel I24, said slot I I8 permitting vertical adjustment of this side of gate II6.

Means for adjusting gate H5 in selected vertical position includes a vertically disposed fiat plate I 2I having a top inclined edge I22, said plate 'I2I being slidably carried on a horizontal ledge I23 formed on a lower edge of the associated portion I25 of a panel I24. A slot I26 and a securing screw I21 extending through said slot for threaded engagement with panel I24 serves to hold the gate adjusting plate I2I in selected position.

The enclosure 0- is provided with a bottom opening to permit deposit of slurry held therein with selected surface areas of blocks to be coated. The bottom opening of enclosure I I0 is partially closed by a plurality of rearwardly directed, spring-loaded fingers I28, said fingers I28 being provided with inner beveled edges I29 adapted to slide as at I30 along upper side margins of adjacent advancing building blocks, the top surface of each finger I28 lying in a horizontal plane spaced above the horizontal plane defined by the top surface of said blocks. Fingers I28 within the enclosure serve to partially close the bottom opening of encosure IIO so as to prevent slurryheld in the enclosure from flowing downwardly along sides of the blocks.

The fingers I 28 are carried by longitudinally extending members I3I of angle section secured to panels I24 beneath the lower edge of each member I0 and II. A horizontally extending portion I32 'of each angle member I 3| provides a surface for associated fingers I28 upon which fingers I28 may slide. Each horizontal portion I32 is provided with a plurality of diagonally arranged wall sections I33 each affording a seat for one end of an associated spring I34, the other end of said spring being seated against the adjacent end of a finger I28. The fingers I28 are maintained in tight abutting parallel relation on the horizontal portion I32 by means of diagonal end walls I35.

As best seen in Fig. I4, the angle member's I3I project forwardly beyond the gate IIB so that the most forward of fingers I28 will be disposed outside of enclosure I I 0 and serve to trim or wipe outer side edges of the uniform coating applied to the top surfaces of the blocks.

When the spreading device 24 is in proper vertical and lateral adjustment it will be noted that the spreader rides on the advancing rows of blocks and embraces top portions of a Dlurality of said advancing blocks by means of the assemblies I00 and the horizontally disposed wheels 88 and 90 respectively. Since the spreader is vertically supported in loose relationship with the square beam 12, the spreading device is provided a certain amount of vertical play while being held in longitudinal alignment with rows of blocks by the wheels 89 and inwardly biased wheels 90 which embrace top portions of said blocks. This manner of suspending the spreading device 24 permits the device to readily adjust itself to minor irregularities in width and height of the advancing blocks while spreading a virtually uniform thickness of coating on the top of said blocks.

The stippling device generally indicated at 26 is spaced forwardly of the spreader means 24 and may be employed when it is desired to provide a stippled finish on the normally smooth finished surface of the coating applied to the blocks.

The stippling device 26 comprises a pair of upstanding standards I40, each standard including .a pair of parallel angle section members I4I secured at their lower ends to the frame of the .front conveyor means 23 and at their top ends by an inter-connecting beam I42. The inner edges of each pair of members I4I provide vertical guide means for abrush carrier means I43, said carrier means I43 having a rectangular portion I44 provided with vertical grooves I45 along opposite side edges for slidable engagement with the opposed inner edges of members I4I. Each portion I44 includes an outwardly extending threaded collar I46 for threaded engagement with a vertical shaft I41. The shafts I41 carried by standards I40 are operably connected across their top by a chain and sprocket means generally indicated at I48 for moving the brush carrier means I43 on opposite sides of the conveyor in unison. A crank I49 may be suitably connected to one of the shafts I41 for manipulation of the vertical adjustment of the brush carrier members I43.

Each brush carrier member I43 includes a forwardly extending portion I49 provided with a vertically disposed slot I50 for journably receiving an end of a shaft I I upon which is'mounted a cylindrical stifi bristled brush I52.

Means for rotating the brush I52 so that its peripheral speed will be virtually the same as the linear speed of belt 52 of the front conveyor 23 may comprise a drive roller I53 journably carried by suitable brackets I54 beneath the top frame member I56 of conveyor means 23. On each side of drive roller I53 may be provided rollers I51 (Fig. 1) so arranged that the belt 52 passes beneath rollers I51 and over drive roller I53. The roller I53 drives through a sprocket carried on its supporting shaft, a forwardly and upwardly extending chain I58 which engages a sprocket carried by a vertically adjustable and longitudinally extensible supporting arm I59.

The arm I59 is connected at one end to a mem-' ber MI by a bolt and nut assembly I60 vertically slidable within a vertical slot I6I.

The shaft carrying the sprocket at the end of arm I59 carries in adjacent relation a second sprocket which engages a chain I62 extending "isvirtually identical to the linear speed of the belt 52. .Slippage of ends of bristleson the brush incontastwith the surface of thefcoating is t u tends, one end of said element I68 being inte- ,vides a rough stippledsurfaoe.

10 virtually eliminated and a neat stippled finish is provided.

Each brush carrier means I43 may be provided with an inwardly extending spring-biased finger I64 pivotally mounted at I65 on an inward extension bracket I 66 carried by the member I43. The bracket I66 may be provided with an aperture I61 through which lever element I68 exgrally formed on finger I61 at an angle thereto and the other end of said element I68 providing connection to one end of a coil spring I69. The other end of spring I69 may be suitably secured to means I43 as at I10. The fingers I64 provide means for holding top portions of rows of blocks in alignment as they pass through the stippling device and also serve to wipe side edges of the coating applied to the top surface of the blocks since the stippling brush tends to spread said coating laterally outwardly.

Rearwardly of brush I52 may be provideda plurality of spaced transversely extending wires I1I for cleaning tips of the brush bristles as the brush rotates. The material wiped fromthe bristles by the cleaning wires I1I may fall upon the coating inasmuch as the stippling brush pro- The wires I" may be secured in any convenient manner to each member I43. I

In v operation, building blocks which have first been moistened by sprinkling may be placed .in generally aligned rows upon the rear conveyor 2I for advancement through the machine. As

' the blocks advance onto idle conveyor 22 they are further cleaned by washing and further moisinto end-to-end contact, said end-to-end contact forward end of the spreader device.

being maintained throughout the length of forward conveyor 23. As the advancing blocks pass beneath the spreading device 24 the top portions are held in close side-to-side contact by means of the wheels 89 and inwardly spring-biased wheels 90. A controlled ouantitv of cementitious slurry is introduced into the enclosure I I0 so that as the blocks pass beneath the bottom opening thereof, the edge of gate II6 uniformly spreads and presses the slurry do nwardlv into contact with the top surface of the blocks. The knife edge of gate II6 provides a smooth finish on the slurry as the blocks emerge from beneath the Side ed es of the blocks are trimmed by forward fingers I28.

When the blocks advance bevond conveyor23 they are transferred to an idle conveyor I12 (Fig. 1) constructed similarly to idle conveyor 22. Conveyor I12 which comprises a plurality of "transversely extending and longitudinally spaced separates the-blocks" from-their end-to-end con tact? Since'this'is'accoinplished before the slurry As the blocks advance edges of the applied coating do not requiremanual trimming. Thecoated-blocks may then be removed fromv the idle conveyor andstored for curing.

In Fig. 5 is shown a pair of building blocks- "3 provided with a smooth surfaced coating I14 of cementitious composition. Obviously, the building blocks to be surfaced may be of solid, hollow, or. interlocking type.

.Building blocks provided with a cementitious coating of. uniform thickness as described above are notonly impervious to moisture but are also provided a firm and tenacious bond to the blocks. Such a cementitious coating may be readily cleaned by simply hosing off the coated face of the blocks with water. The smoothfinishedsurfaceaffordedby this coating does not tend to accumulate dust and dirt which normally discolor exposed faces of building blocks. Since thecem n i s. oa in is. prov ed. w t er anen c lo i matt zim o or. o th ceatin provi d wherein the rotatable supportingassemblies I00 contact a plurality of said blocks and are yieldable to equalize the position.ofthespreader above the top surface Qfthe .blocksh In. addition the spreadinedevic ispe mittedsli h yi l ate al adjustment to. c mpensate for. rre ularities in.w dth by. m ansof the. wheels, 90, which, are

yieldably.mountedfor-limited lateral movement.

Itv is,understood, that. variousmodifications and ha ma be. made in, the. arran m n o conveyor meansin themanner of supporting the spreading, deviceand in the, manner of, driving a, stippling. device. ,All such modifications and 1 changeseoming withinthe scope of the-appended claims. are embraced thereby.

1. Inan apparatusfor continuous application of a colored. cementitiouscoating toselected surface areas .ofadvancingrows of. the aligned building. blocks, the combination of: means for advancing, a. plurality ofv rows of alignedblocksin a horizontal planeincluding independently. driven rear. and front. conveyor' means; said rear con veyor means .-being driven at agreater rate of speed. than thefront conveyor meanswfor maintaining aligned advancing blocks in end-to-end contact; means including a fixed longitudinally extending guide surface and a cooperable 1aterally adjustable spaced parallel guide face provided along thefront conveyor means for maintaining said advancing blocks in side-to-side contact; aframe structure; means for spreading a slurryof cementitious composition on a-selected surface area of said'blocks, said spreading means beingcarr-ied by-said structure above said advancing-blocksrand comprising elongated parallel members provided with spaced means antifrictionallyengaging aplurality of said advancing blocks; an enclosure at the front end of the-spreading means for receiving and holding a supply-of said slurry in-contact with advancing blocks: said enclosure including an adjustable gate for forming a selected thickness of coating 12 on said blocks while advancing beneathsaid enclosure.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said anti-friction means along one side-.of said spreading means are in yieldable pressure contact with upper outer side margins of an outer row of advancing blocks.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein anti-friction means along one upper and outer side margin are spring-biased into contact therewith.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said parallel members is held against lateral movement and the other of said parallel members is laterally adjustable with respect to the said one of said members.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a plurality of rearwardly directed springbiased fingers beneath side walls of the enclosure slidably and yieldably embrace outer edge margins of rows of said advancing blocks.

6. In an apparatusfor treating'a selected surface of a plurality of continuously advancing concrete building-blocks arranged in an aligned row, the provision of: a supporting structure; and spreader means adjustably' carried by-said structure comprising a pair of spaced parallel elongated members, one of said members having spacedanti-friction means held against lateral movement adapted to engage upper and outer side margins of advancing blocks adjacent thereto, theother member having spaced laterally adjustable anti-friction means having spaced laterally adjustable anti-friction means adapted to engage opposite upper and outer side margins of advancing blocks adjacent thereto; a plurality of spaced rotatable supporting means carried by each member for engagement with top outer edge margins of said blocks; a forward enclosure carried by said members and provided with top and bottomopenings and a vertically adjustable gate; and a plurality of parallel spring-biased diagonally rearwardly directed fingers in abutting relation partially closing the bottom opening of the enclosure for sliding engagement with upper side margins of said blocks.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein means are provided for lateral adjustment of one of said members.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein means are provided for raising and lowering the spreader means.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the rotatable supporting means carried by each member include spring means biasing said supporting means downwardly.

10. In an apparatus for continuous application of colored cementitious coating to selected surface areas of an advancing row of aligned building blocks, the combination of: means for advancing a row of aligned blocks in a horizontal plane including individually driven rear and front conveyor means, said rear conveyor means being driven at a greater rate of speed than the front conveyor means, said front conveyor means including an endless belt; means including a fixed longitudinally extending guide surface along one side of said front conveyor means and a cooperable laterally adjustable guide face in spaced parallel relation to said guide surface; a frame structure; means for spreading a slurry of cementitious composition on the top surface area of said blocks,, said spreading means being carried by said structure above said advancingblocks in alignment therewith and comprising parallel 13 a 14 members provided with longitudinally spaced face areas, the combination of 'stippling means means anti-frictionally and yieldably embrac ,spaced forwardly of said spreading means and ing upper portions of a plurality of adjacent -l including a vertically adjustable-support memblocks; an enclosure at the front end of said ber provided with journals; acyliridrical brush members for receiving and holding a supply of means carried in said journalsl for contacting said slurry in contact with the selected surface the surface of said coating; andmeans cooperable area of said advancing blocks; a vertically ad-..v with said endless belt for rota said brush justable gate forming the front wall of said en-' means at a peripheral rate offljsp -virtually the closure for forming a selected thickness of coat-i; same as the linear rate of trav of'the belt. ing on said blocks; stippling means forwardly of WARRE (WARNER. said enclosure and including a rotatably driven I cylindrical brush means for contacting the sur a. 7 E C S face of Said coating; and means driven by The following references are of record in the belt of the front conveyor means for rotating said me of this patent; brush means at a rate of speed correlated to the rate of travel of the belt. 16 v UNITED STATES PATENTS 11. In an apparatus for applying a colored Number Name I Date cementitious coating to selected surface areas of 1,256,757 Wilberg Feb. 19, 1918 an advancing row of aligned building blocks in- X 212,299,326 Kiehn 06t- 9 eluding a conveyor means having an endless belt 2, ue er Sept. 14, 1943 and a spreading means for depositing a uniform 1 2, 04,205 King Apr. 18, 1950 coating of cementitious composition on said sur- 

